Ian McPhee (computer scientist)

Ian McPhee is a Canadian computer scientist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.[1][2] He earned a Bachelor of Mathematics in 1973, and his Masters of Mathematics in 1979.

When McPhee was an undergraduate at the University of Waterloo he was a protege of influential professor Wes Graham.[2] Graham assigned McPhee to work on Watfor, a Fortran compiler optimized for efficiently compiling the typical student program. McPhee continued to work for Graham, until 1981 when he co-founded Watcom with other associates of Graham. Watcom is characterized as the first spin-off company to come from Waterloo.

McPhee became Watcom's President, in 1986.[2][3]

McPhee became an executive at Sybase when it acquired Watcom.[2]

In 1995 McPhee became the first recipient of the annual J.W. Graham Medal, named after his mentor.[2][4] Later he would chair the medal's annual selection committee.

McPhee would serve as an executive or director of several more successful software companies, currently being a director at NexJ Systems Inc.[2] He is also a member of the University of Waterloo's Board of Governors, as well as making notable donations.